Highway marker



June 21, 1960 e. R. ABBOTT, SR

HIGHWAY MARKER Filed April 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

. 44 24 1o 44 46 0 FIG 3 I 5 I r I 1 r I I I I z I g 9 {A N '7IIIIIIIIIIIIII/III/IIIIIIIIIIII/MII III/II IN VENTOR ATTORNEY June 21,1960 G. R. ABBOTT, SR 2,941,447

HIGHWAY MARKER Filed April 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8.

GHEEN R. ABBOTT INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent HIGHWAY MARKERGheen R. Abbott, Sr., 7440 Girard Ave., La Jolla, Calif. Filed Apr. 11,1957, Ser. No. 652,215 3 Claims. 01. 88-79) This invention relatesgenerally to road markers and, more particularly, it pertains to roadmarkers of the reflecting type.

Reflecting road markers have been employed for some time. They providefor the reflection of the light from the lamps of oncoming motorvehicles, when installed in a highway, and thereby enable the users tofollow the line of travel that they mark off. Certain conditions on thehighway, such as rain, snow, dust and mud, frequently obscure the faceof the reflecting components and make them less effective. Also, whenthe tralfic consists of heavy vehicles and trucks, the weight of thesevehicles tends to crush the reflectors or break them, and thereby renderthem inoperative or ineffective.

While the road markers are usually placed at the rim of the borderinglines of the roadway lanes they encompass, the trafiic is usuallyerratic enough to cause frequent passage by the vehicles on top of themarkers. In the present invention, the weight of the vehicle is employedto press down on the reflectors and bring them flush with the highwaysurface, which not only saves them from breakage but enables them toautomatically clean themselves.

This invention anticipates the limitations of conventional highwaymarkers by providing a road marker which will fit in the highway so asto provide reflection therefrom, and, in addition, includes a mechanismthat will permit the reflectors to be resiliently depressed and wiped toremove any particles of dirt collected thereon, when run overby avehicle.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a new andimproved reflecting road marker which will include an arrangement forautomatically cleaning its reflector, or reflectors, from dust, snow,mud and rain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved roadmarker which will be effective as a reflecting road marker and, at thesame time, have a structure capable of withstanding heavy trafi'icconditions.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedreflecting road marker which can make use of the weight derived fromvehicular traffic running over it to operate it for the purpose ofcleaning its reflecting components and depressing it into the highway soit will not be crushed or damaged by heavy traflic, as well as includingarrangement for facile replacement.

Still other objects of this invention are to provide road markers whichare economical to manufacture, eflicient and reliable in operation, andwhich are easy to install and maintain.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomebetter understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionwhen considered in connection with the following drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a road markercomprising this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the marker shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the marker shown in Fig. 1, in operativeposition;

2,941,447 Patented June 21,

Fig. 4 is an end view of the marker shown inFig. 1, in operativeposition;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detail of the gasket for the marker ofFig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the markercomprising this invention; and

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken along line 8-8 of, Fig. 7.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated aroad marker (centerline marker) 10 for use in marking lanes inroads,'highways, and the like. This marker 10 is generally ofrectangular form and consists of a case 12 having a pair of spacedbosses 14 in its base,. and a flange 16 extending outwardly and aroundthe: periphery of the case 12.

The upper face of the case is open and it receives a: floating bridgemember 20. Bridge member 20 has a. pair of spaced bosses 22corresponding to bosses 14 in.-

the lower face of the case 12, as pointed out above. A coiled spring 18is positioned between each matching pair of bosses 14 and 22. Thisspring 18 normally sup ports the bridge member 20 and the receptacle 44for the reflectors 46 in a position projecting from the upper face ofthe case 12.-

On the upper face of the bridge member 20, there is provided two pairsof vertically extending, parallel spaced buttresses 24. Each pair ofbuttresses 24 is spaced from the other pair of buttresses for receivinga receptacle 44 therebetween. This receptacle 44 supports two pairs ofreflectors 46, with one pair being located on either face of thereceptacle 44. These reflectors 46 are inserted in apertures 48 providedin the opposite facesof the recep- 7 The receptacle 44 is secured to thebridge member 20 by a screw 50 whichpasses through the receptacle andhas its threaded end in engagement with a threaded aperture provided inthe bridge member 20.

A gasket 26, having an H shaped embossment 28 thereon, as best seen inFigs. 1, 2, and 6, is positioned adjacent to the bridge member 20. Thisgasket 26 is of the same width and length as the upper face of the case12, including the flange 16. A slot 30 is provided in the gasket 26 toallow the receptacle 44 for the reflectors 46 to pass snugglytherethrough. Two pairs of slots 32 are also provided in the gasket 26,including the H shaped embossment 28, to allow the two pairs ofbuttresses 24 to pass therethrough.

An H shaped retainer plate 42 is provided on top of the gasket 26, withleg portions extending between each pair of spaced buttresses 24, forretaining the gasket 26 in an operative position. The retainer plate 42and gasket 26 have a plurality of spaced apertures 40 provided thereinfor screws 38, whose threaded ends are received in threaded .aperturesprovided in the flange 16 of the case 12. Rivets 34, received in holes36, are utilized to, secure the leg portionsv of the retainer plate 42to the gasket 26. The retainer plate 42 is used on the top of case 12 tospread the pressure over a larger area on the highway. If desired, thisretainer plate 42 can be made in two half sections.

I It is to be pointed out that the gasket 26 prevents the depressed andthe reflectors wipe or scrape against the gasket 26, due to the snug fitthereof with the gasket.

The operation of the marker 10 will now be described. The marker 10 isinserted in the highway, as shown in Figsa3 and 4. When a vehicle-rollsover its body, it presses the bridge member 20 down into the case 12. Asthe receptacle 44 and bridge member 20 are lowered into zgthe case 12,therubb'er gasket 261brushes over the reflectors 46 and cleans them offin a' verticaldirection;

'Referring' now-to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, there isi-llus't rateda road side mar'kerf110 which can be used on the side of a highway-orroad; This marketr 110 is a modification of the'highw-ay marker 10. Itconsists of a rectangular case 1 12, having a boss 114 inits base and aflange 116 surrounding the upper face of the case 112, as previouslydescribed for the first embodimentof the marker 10. V

This case-112 is open at its upper fiace and has a bridge member 120therein. This "bridge member 120 has a boss 122 provided on itslowerface corresponding to boss 114 in the base of case 112. A coiled spring118 ispositioned between these bosses 114 and 122, which b'osses holdthe spring in an operative position.

' A gasket 126, having a slot 130, is provided adjacent to the uppersurface of case 112. The bridge member 120 has a receptacle-144 providedon top thereof to receivethe two pairs of reflectors 146. Thisreceptacle 144'passes through the slot'1-30' provided in gasket 126.

An'emboss-ment 128 is provided on the gasket 126, and it has the slot130 provided therein. A retainer plate 142 is positioned on top of thegasket'126. The'plate 142 and'gasket126 are secured in position byscrews 133 fastened to the flange '11-6 of the case 112. V

In operation, when a load is applied to the receptacle 144, the bridgemember120 is depressed to compress the spring 118. The vertical faces ofthe gasket 126, including theernbossm'ent, adjacent the slot 130, wipethereflectors'146 clean as previously described. When the loadis'removed, the spring'11'8 forces the receptacle 144 above the surfaceof the road to again display the reflectors 146.

'Itis to be noted'that' the cases 12 or I12,'in either embodiment of theinvention, are preferably formed of anon-corrosive .material,such' asbronze, whil'ethe other metal components are'formed of aluminum.

"The markers 10 and 110 have a number of valuable features. Thereflectors on the markers are'kept clean and in anoperative condition.The reflectors '46 or 146 are protected against breakage due to vehiclesrunning over them.

'The construction of the markers 10 and-1I0 is simple, yet efiective.The labor of keeping the reflectors 46 and 146 free of dirt or the likeis avoided and maintenance of the markers is kept at a minimum. Thesemarkers take very little space on the highway. They attract attention ofthe drivers of vehicles so they will be guided thereby. The markers 10and 110 can be installed while the highway is being built or repairedand made an integral part of it.

The forms of the invention disclosed herein are for the purpose ofillustrating how the invention can be made in a. particular instance,and it is appreciated that other constructions could be designedanddeveloped that would employ the same principles and yet come withinthe scope'of the appended claims.

Whatisclaimed is:

1. A marker 'for a highway, comprising, structure defining asubstantially rectangular casing opened at its upper face and having aflange extending outwardly and transversely thereto around the peripherythereof, the bottom of said casing having a pair of spaced, upwardlyextending bosses located along the longitudinal axis thereof, a floatingbridge member extending across said open upper face of said casing andarranged to move downwardly into said casing, said bridge member havinga pair of spaced, downwardly extending bosses corresponding to said pairof spaced, upwardly extending bosses in the bottom of saidcasinggresilient means including a coil positioned between and havingits ends engaging each corresponding set of bosses for resilientlysupporting said bridge member in said casing and to allow it to moveupwardly and downwardly therein, said bridge member having two pairs ofvertically extending, equally parallel space'd buttresses mounted on thetop thereof in the longitudinal direction of said casing, wit-hthe uppersurfaces of the buttresses of each pair of buttresses being curvedupwardly from said floating bridge memher and extending inwardly towardeach other and in substantial arcuate'alignment with each other, thebuttresses of each pair of buttresses also extendinginwardly toward thecorresponding buttresses in the other pair of buttresses and each endthereof arranged as a cantilever beam, the cantilever beam ends of thebuttresses of each'pair of buttresses being longitudinally spaced fromthe cantilever beam ends of the buttresses of the other pair ofbuttresses but in axial alignment therewith, a receptacle secured to thetop ofsaid'floatin-g member and extending vertically upwardly therefrom,said receptacle being positioned transversely to'the longitudinal axisof said casing in the space between the cantilever beam ends of saidpairs of buttresses and having reflectors secured to the oppositevertical faces thereof, the upper surface of said receptacle beingarcuately arranged so as to constitute a continuation ofthe arcuatesurfaces of said longitudinally spaced pairs of buttresses, and gasketmeans for sealing said casing, said pairs of longitudinally spacedbuttresses and said receptacle, said sealing means being arranged toclean the faces of said reflectors, said buttresses being arranged toprotect said reflectors.

2. An arrangement as recited in claim 1., wherein said gasket means areof substantially H-shape with slots therein corresponding to thepositions of said pairs of buttresses and receptacle.

3. An arrangement as recited in claim 2, and -a'retai-ningplate forsecuring said gasket means'to said flange of said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UN ITED' STATESPATENTS1,496,811 Lange et a1 June 10, 1924 1,785,952 Griggs et al Dec. 23, 19301,986,097 Arey V Jan. 1, 1935 2,073,968 Krebs Mar. 16, 1937, 2,157,059Rosener- May 2, 1939 2,192,878 Beebe 'Mar. 12, 1940 2,224,554 StedmanDec. 10, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 648,542 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1951690,398 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1953

